Suggested flight training improvement strategies reviewed

October 13, 2011

ByDan Namowitz

An aviation industry educational task force with the goal of reforming flight training has moved into a new phase of its work, with AOPA submitting responses to six recommendations issued in the project's preliminary report.

In response to the recommendations, AOPA discussed initiatives already in progress. One example of such initiatives includes a general aviation accident root cause analysis currently underway under the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GA JSC). AOPA currently serves as co-chair of the GA JSC and participates in the subcommittees directly involved in the analysis. This initiative will guide future risk mitigation strategies in GA operations and flight training.

Other initiatives currently under way are the AOPA Flight Training Student Retention Initiative, which launched in June 2010, and a knowledge test advisory committee that will work to develop a process to write and revise current knowledge exams with input from the flight training industry and experts in flight training.

Other recommendations within the SAFE preliminary report show promise yet need to be further developed before action is taken.

AOPA is calling on its members to take immediate action to build support for new legislation that would reform the third class medical process and provide other protections for general aviation pilots.